HomeTouch Care Ltd

Updated 3 December 2022

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection team included two inspectors and one Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

Registered manager

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 12 October and ended on 24 October 2022. We visited the location’s office/service on 12 October 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection

We spoke with five members of the management team including the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included four people's care records on the day. We looked at three recruitment files, as well as supervision and training records.

We spoke with nine relatives who gave feedback on the service. We talked to six members of care staff. We continued to seek clarification from the registered manager and provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data, updated risk assessments and quality assurance records. We also reviewed policy documents.

We contacted external health and social care professionals working regularly with the service and we received feedback from three of them.

Updated 3 December 2022

About the service

HomeTouch Care Ltd is a domiciliary care agency that provides care and support to people in their own home. The service supports people who have dementia, mental health and physical disabilities, through a live-in care service. The service operates across a number of geographic areas across England.

HomeTouch Care Ltd provided two models of care. An Introductory care model where the service introduces people using the service to private carers. However, the service did not manage the carers and the support they provided. This aspect of the service was not regulated by CQC.

The second model of care was a service fully managed by HomeTouch Care Ltd and was regulated by the CQC. At the time of our visit there were 54 people receiving a regulated service, which means they were receiving support with personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People told us they were happy with the care and support they received because they felt safe and all their needs were met by kind and caring staff.

Risks to people's health and wellbeing were assessed and risks mitigated. On the day of the inspection visit we found some gaps in risk assessments. But by the time of writing this report, these had been addressed. The service reviewed their risk assessment document to incorporate environmental assessments, had expanded on these and so these identified and reduced any environmental risks to people and staff.

Care records were personalised and set out people’s needs and how they liked to be supported, as well people’s history and what was important to them.

Recruitment practices were safe and relevant checks had been completed before staff worked at the service. The service employed experienced staff for the live-in care role. Staff received initial training in key areas before beginning working with people. People received their medicines safely by suitably trained staff.

Staff underwent regular supervision and checks of the service they were providing. They understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the importance of gaining consent from people. We found there were some gaps in mental capacity assessments, but these were addressed by the service at the time of writing this report.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff and relatives told us that the service was well managed. The registered manager had oversight of staff performance. People and relatives knew how to raise concerns and complaints about the service. The managers dealt with received complaints promptly.

Since the last inspection the service had grown significantly. The management team were in the process of improving their quality assurance systems to ensure that the service provided was of good quality across all geographic areas they covered.

The management team were aware of their regulatory responsibilities, and had notified CQC and other stakeholders appropriately.

The service sought feedback about the service from people, relatives, staff and external professionals. Feedback from surveys as well as information gathered from quality audits complaints, accidents and incidents and safeguarding concerns, was used to introduce changes and improve the service provided.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good, (published 19 November 2019).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.